Run background checks with Checkr

The same packages and pricing are available whether you sign up from Gusto or if you already have a Checkr account. Below are the default packages you can access from Gusto.

Custom packages

If the below default packages don’t fit your needs, reach out to Checkr to discuss custom packages and additional screenings. If a custom package has already been set up directly in your Checkr account, it will be available via the Gusto integration. 

Verification packages 

Education can be verified for colleges, universities, high schools, and GED equivalency exams—see Checkr's help center for more information. You can enable international education verification if needed, though these verifications take longer and additional fees apply. To enable international education verifications, contact Checkr.

Criminal background check packages

Access fees

Access fees are charged by counties, states, and DMVs to access someone's records. These fees are not marked up by Checkr or Gusto.

Click here for a list of access fees by state, county, and DMV.

Access fees are not displayed before a check is run because they're unknown at the time the check is requested. They depend on which counties and agencies provide the records.

Criminal check access fees

Access fees range in cost from as little as $0.75 in some Colorado counties to $95 in some New York counties.

The number of access fees incurred on a given background check can also vary widely. For example, assuming that a record is not found via the National Criminal Database search, if a candidate has lived in 5 different counties over the past 7 years, that background check will incur 5 access fees if the Pro package is selected, but will only incur 1 access fee if the Standard package is selected.

Education or employment verification access fees

These screenings incur third-party access fees charged by industry verification databases.

For employment verifications, Checkr first searches available databases—such as The Work Number for Everyone—that charge a fee when the verification is successfully completed with that database.

For education verifications, Checkr searches known education databases, such as the National Student Clearinghouse.
You can view specific employment and education access fees on your invoice. 

If you run background checks for more than one Gusto company and your email is linked to multiple Checkr accounts, you’ll be asked to choose which account to connect during sign-in.

In Checkr, you can switch between accounts as needed.

If your company already has a Checkr account, follow these steps to connect it to Gusto. 

Once you connect the integration and have run payroll in Gusto, you can run your background checks in Gusto. Any checks you've run before connecting the integration do not sync to Gusto—you can still view previous checks in Checkr. 

1. Sign in to your Gusto admin account. 
2. Go to the App directory.
3. Search for and select Background Checks.
4. Click Learn more.
5. Click the checkbox to agree to the terms.
6. At the bottom of the page, click Log in here.
7. Click Login.
8. Enter your Checkr admin credentials and click Log in. 
9. Once you're signed in, we'll ask whether you currently run background checks.
10. Let us know your reason for your interest in background checks. We ask this so we can suggest the type of check that best fits your needs.
11. If you currently run background checks, we’ll ask about your current methods for collecting information. 
12. Click Continue.
13. When you’ve reviewed the information about background checks and pricing, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the checkbox to agree to the terms of service.

Now you can start running background checks. Head to the “Running background checks” section below for next steps. 

Heads up: If you initiate a background check from Checkr (instead of from Gusto), information about that check will not sync to Gusto. You can track the check’s status in Checkr then onboard the new hire to Gusto when you’re ready.  

Here's how billing works when you start running checks from Gusto:

• Checkr bills your company for any checks you run directly from Checkr.
• Gusto bills your company for any checks you run from Gusto. After you run a check from Gusto, the Checkr fee is added to your regular Gusto invoice in 2 billing cycles.

If your company does not have a Checkr account yet, follow the steps below to create an account and connect it to Gusto.

1. Sign in to your Gusto admin account. 
2. Go to the Hiring section.
3. Next to "Background checks," click See details. 
4. Select whether you currently run background checks.
5. Let us know your reason for your interest in background checks. We ask this so we can suggest the type of check that best fits your needs.
6. If you currently run background checks, we’ll ask about your current methods for collecting information. 
7. Click Continue.
8. When you’ve reviewed the information about background checks and pricing, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the checkbox to agree to the terms of service. 
9. Click Get started. 
10. Enter a compliance contact email and your industry.
11. Click Create account. You’ll only be charged when you run a check.  
12. Create your company’s policy for background check use. You can use the template we’ve provided or click Customize to change it. 
13. Click the checkbox to agree to your company’s new background check policy. 
14. Under “Statement of purpose for candidates,” enter a statement to be shared with candidates who receive a background check request.
15. If you prefer not to include a statement in background check invitations, click the checkbox below it to remove the checkmark.
16. Click Continue.
17. Select a background check package. This will be shown as the default package when you initiate a background check request, but you can choose a different package each time. There are no monthly fees—you'll be charged on a per-check basis. See the "Billing" section below to learn more. 
18. Click Select package. 
19. If criminal background checks are not required in your industry and you selected a package with criminal background checks, you’ll be prompted to indicate what roles at your company require a background check. 

Fairness filters

Background checks run through the integration have fairness filters applied by default. These help eliminate bias when reviewing background check results. To view and adjust these filters, log in to your Checkr account and choose the Assess menu item.

Data syncing

Heads up: If you sign in to Checkr directly to run a background check (instead of running it from Gusto), information about that check will not sync to Gusto. Track the check’s status in Checkr, then onboard the new hire to Gusto when you’re ready.  

Create your Checkr password

If you want to sign in to Checkr directly after creating your account from Gusto, follow these steps to set up your login credentials. 

1. Open the Checkr sign-in page.
2. Click Don’t remember your password?
3. Checkr will email you a link to set up your password.

You can run background checks right from Gusto. If you signed up for a new Checkr account from Gusto and you want to sign in to the Checkr website directly, here’s how to set up your login password: 

1. Go to Checkr's sign-in page.
2. Click Don’t remember your password?
3. Enter the email you used to create the Checkr account.
4. Click Send Email. Checkr will send you a link to set a password.

If you sign in to Checkr directly to run a background check (instead of running it from Gusto), information about that check will not sync to Gusto. You can track the check’s status in Checkr then onboard the new hire to Gusto.

Before you start:

• Make sure you've already set up background checks for your company.
• You can create an offer letter template ahead of time or while following the steps below. 

When you’re ready to send a candidate employee a conditional offer letter and a background check request, follow the steps below.

1. Sign in to your Gusto admin account.
2. Go to the People section.
3. Click Add a team member.
4. Enter the new team member's info:
   • Full name
   • Preferred first name (optional). Gusto will use this name to refer to this person in communications where their legal first name is not required (such as in the offer letter, onboarding emails, org chart, etc.).
   • Personal email 
   • Country
   • Worker type
   • Hiring options: Select Send an offer letter and Run a background check.
5. Click Save and continue. 
6. Fill out the employee's work info:
   
   • Work location (address)
   • Work state
   • Job title (optional): Select one or scroll to the bottom of the list and click Create a new job title.
   • Start date
   • Department: Select one or scroll to the bottom of the list and click Create a new department.
   • Manager (optional): If this is the first direct report for a new manager, leave this field blank for now. You can later go to the new manager's profile and add their direct report.
7. Click Save and continue.
8. Add their compensation details:
   • Employee type (e.g., salary, hourly, overtime-eligible, etc. Gusto does not currently support paying employees by piece rate—per visit, per bundle, per package)
   • Compensation amount 
   • Employment status: This determines their benefits eligibility, if you offer benefits with Gusto.
   • Any special tax exemption status, if applicable.
9. Click Continue to offer letter.
10. Review the offer letter:
    • Select an existing template or click Create new offer template.
    • Enter an expiration date for the letter.
    • Manager and job title: If the offer letter includes these fields, they must be completed.
    • Click Preview to see what the letter will look like with this employee's details filled out.
    • You can edit directly on the offer letter if you want to customize it for this employee. Place your cursor where you’d like to make a change, then start typing.
    • Insert Smart Text: Use this if you want to add a field that will automatically populate with the employee's info. Place your cursor where you want the text to go, then click Insert Smart Text and select the field. 
11. Once the offer letter is ready, click Save and continue.
12. Your company's default background package will be shown. Click Edit if you want to change it for this candidate.
13. Click Save and continue.
14. Review the new team member's info. Click Edit to change anything. 
15. Optional: Add a note to go along with the offer letter. 
16. Click Send offer to [name].

We'll immediately send the offer letter to the candidate's personal email. After they sign the offer letter, we’ll email them a request to authorize a background check. The background check will begin once the candidate authorizes it. 

You can track your candidate’s progress in the Background checks section of the Hiring tab. Their status will be updated when they sign their offer letter and begin their background check. Once they authorize the background check and provide their personal information, their status will be “Background check in progress” and we’ll provide you with an estimated turnaround time.

We’ll notify you when the candidate signs their offer and once their background check is complete. Detailed background check information is stored in Gusto for 30 days. After 30 days, to protect privacy and personal information, detailed background check information is no longer accessible in Gusto. It is available on Checkr indefinitely.

You can view, update, or rescind offers from the Hiring section—next to "Background checks," click See details.

You can continue onboarding the candidate while the background check is still being processed—go to the People section and click a candidate's actions ⋮ menu to be taken to their onboarding checklist. 

Follow the steps below to send a background check request to a candidate employee without a conditional offer letter. Keep in mind that many states require a background check request to include a conditional offer letter. 

1. Sign in to your Gusto admin account. 
2. Go to the Hiring section.
3. Next to "Background checks," click See details. 
4. Choose New background check. 
5. Under "Select a person," click the blank field and choose Add a new person.
6. Enter the new team member's info:
   • Full name
   • Preferred first name (optional). Gusto will use this name to refer to this person in communications where their legal first name is not required (such as in the offer letter, onboarding emails, org chart, etc.).
   • Personal email 
   • Country
   • Worker type
   • Hiring options: Select Run a background check. Keep in mind that many states require a background check request to include a conditional offer letter.
7. Click Save and continue. 
8. Fill out the employee's work info:
   
   • Work location (address)
   • Work state
   • Job title (optional): Select one or scroll to the bottom of the list and click Create a new job title.
   • Start date
   • Department: Select one or scroll to the bottom of the list and click Create a new department.
   • Manager (optional). If this is the first direct report for a new manager, leave this field blank for now. You can later go to the new manager's profile and add their direct report.
9. Click Save and continue.
10. Add their compensation details:
    • Employee type (e.g., salary, hourly, overtime-eligible, etc. Gusto does not currently support paying employees by piece rate—per visit, per bundle, per package)
    • Compensation amount 
    • Employment status: This determines their benefits eligibility, if you offer benefits with Gusto.
    • Any special tax exemption status, if applicable.
11. Click Save and continue.
12. Your company's default background package will be shown. Click Edit to change it for this candidate.
13. Click Save and continue.
14. Review the new team member's info. Click Edit to change anything. 
15. Once complete, save your work and send the background check request:
    • Add [name] and exit: This sends the background check request to the candidate's personal email and returns you to the People section, where you can view the check status and onboarding checklist under the Onboarding tab.
    • Add [name] and set up for payroll: This sends the background check request to the candidate's personal email and takes you to the Add to payroll task on their onboarding checklist. 

The background check will begin once the candidate authorizes it. You can track your candidate’s progress in the Background checks section of the Hiring tab. Once they authorize the background check and provide their personal information, their status will be “Background check in progress” and we’ll provide an estimated turnaround time. 

We’ll notify you once the background check is complete. Detailed background check information is stored in Gusto for 30 days. After 30 days, to protect privacy and personal information, detailed background check information is no longer accessible in Gusto. It is available on Checkr indefinitely.

You can view, update, or rescind offers from the Hiring section. 

You can continue onboarding the candidate while the background check is still being processed—go to the People section and click a candidate's actions ⋮ menu to be taken to their onboarding checklist.